Whenever guests come over, do you always feel your home cooking isn’t good enough and end up ordering from a restaurant? Today, we’re sharing two impressive yet easy-to-make dishes that perfectly balance meat and vegetables—ideal for entertaining, and so simple even beginners can pull them off with confidence!
1. Sichuan-Style Boiled Beef (Shuizhu Niu Rou)
Ingredients:
Beef, lettuce, soybean sprouts, hotpot base paste, scallions, garlic, Sichuan peppercorn powder, chili flakes, doubanjiang (spicy broad bean paste), white pepper, cooking wine, baking soda water
Instructions:
- Rinse the beef and slice it thinly against the grain. Place in a bowl.
- Add a small amount of baking soda water and massage it into the beef. Then add a splash of cooking wine, a pinch of white pepper, and salt; mix well. Finally, stir in a tablespoon of oil to lock in moisture and marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat oil in a wok or pan. Stir-fry the washed lettuce and soybean sprouts until softened. Season lightly with salt, then transfer to a large serving bowl.
- In the same pan, add more oil. Sauté minced garlic, Sichuan peppercorn powder, hotpot base, and doubanjiang until fragrant and red oil appears. Pour in a generous amount of hot water, add light soy sauce, and bring to a boil.
- Gently slide in the marinated beef slices, stirring gently with a spatula to separate them. Cook just until the beef turns opaque (about 1–2 minutes), then immediately pour everything over the blanched vegetables in the bowl.
- Top the beef with minced scallions, garlic, extra Sichuan peppercorn powder, and chili flakes. Finish by drizzling piping-hot oil over the top—the sizzle seals in the aroma and flavor!
2. Braised Napa Cabbage, Tofu & Vermicelli Hot Pot
Ingredients:
Napa cabbage, firm tofu, vermicelli noodles, chopped scallions, garlic cloves
Instructions:
- Wash and chop the napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Soak the vermicelli in warm water until pliable.
- Blanch the firm tofu in boiling water for 1–2 minutes to remove any beany odor, then cut into cubes.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot. Pan-fry the tofu cubes until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- Leave a bit of oil in the pan. Sauté whole or crushed garlic cloves until fragrant. Layer the soaked vermicelli at the bottom of the pot, followed by the chopped cabbage, and finally place the fried tofu on top. Season with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.
- Pour in about half a cup of hot water. Cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together.
- Garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro—and serve straight from the pot!
These two dishes—one bold and spicy, the other comforting and wholesome—offer the perfect balance for a well-rounded meal that’s sure to wow your guests. Best of all? They require no fancy techniques, just simple steps and honest ingredients. So next time visitors drop by, skip the takeout menu—you’ve got this!